Borgata Event Prize Pool Still Frozen, Class Action Filed

A class action has been filed against the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in connection with the suspended event 1 in the Borgata Winter Open. Thousands may claim reimbursement for buy-ins and travel costs.

The opening event of  #BorgataWinterOpen2014  in Atlantic City had a $560 buy-in and a $2 million guarantee and had attracted more than 4,800 entries. The tournament was suspended on January 16, Day 3, by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement after counterfeit chips were found to be in circulation.

The only person charged to date is @Christian Lusardi, who introduced counterfeit chips into the tournament multiple times to increase his stack. He was eliminated on Day 2 and reportedly cashed for $6,814. A few days later he made funny criminal history as he was caught after he flushed the remaining fake chips ($ 2.7 million in tournament value) down the toilet of his hotel room. This caused plumbing problems, the chips were discovered, and the police promptly intervened.

Initially, Joe Lupo, Senior Vice President of Operations for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, expected tournament officials and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to reach a resolution after a 24-hour investigation. Yet it has been more than a month and the prize money (of which more than $ 1.4 m remained on Day 3) is still frozen.

On Friday, February 21, New Jersey resident @Jacob Musterel filed a class action against the Borgata on behalf of the players who entered the opening event of the Borgata Winter Open. At the time of the suspension order only 27 players remained but it is very difficult to say how many may have been affected by the fake chips in circulation since Day 1. So far Musterel is the only one listed by name but his lawyer, Bruce LiCausi, has been publicising the claim and clearly hopes thousands will join to demand reimbursement for buy-ins and travel costs.

Little did they know that they were only in for the learning experience...

“In my 31 years in practice, I have to say this is one of the cleanest claims we’ve had,” Attorney Bruce LiCausi told The Press of Atlantic City. “Borgata holds itself as a respected provider of poker tournaments. They might say this is a learning experience for them, and while that’s laudable, it’s at the expense of the thousands who traveled to Atlantic City and entered this tournament under the expectation that it would be run properly.”